Archives for: September 2001, 11

Heidi: I am asking why a root vegetable such as parsnip is 'beneficial' while beets, celeriac (celery root), carrots, etc. are just 'neutral'. Is it better to show preference to parsnips when availability is equal or is it better to use approximately equal amounts of all the root vegetables during the winter? Thank you. Daniel TwoEagles

Hi, Daniel! TYPEbase notes that the parsnip contains one of those lectins which act favorably for the blood groups in which it is valued Beneficial. Many plants contain these compounds, and while some are universally to be avoided, others are actively good for ya. Yet others confer benefits upon one ABO group or subgroup, but are inadvisable for the rest of us.

What a relief that this work is all done FOR us, eh? ;-) thank you for writing, Daniel! :-D

Hello Heidi! Hope you had a wonderful holiday in NYC!

Is it just me, or are others having a HECK of a time with the new web site? I do have DSL, but getting on to the new site takes more time than when I was dialing up. It's so bad that I often just don't have the time to wait, espeically for the home page to finish downloading, but even going back and forth between columns and the home page is excrutiatingly (sp?) slow.

I tried to find a contact email for the general site, but couldn't find one, so you're it! Sorry to complain, but if others are having the same problem, perhaps the web master needs to do some clean up. Thanks so much, Heidi, and HAPPY NEW YEAR! Love, Mary

Happy New Year, Mary! I'm hearing from several folks that they're having trouble with the new format. It's difficult to pin down exactly where the problem or insufficiency resides -- whether with some particular aspect of the site design or somewhere in users' software or hardware. {sigh!} but rest assured that our beloved webmeister (Peter) is aware of the situation. Thank you for sending a note on it, Mary! stay well, dear!! :-D

This is a great website, but I am unable to access most of the information.

Whatever I search, I get a long list of articles, most of which are completely unrelated to the word I am searching. If I try to narrow my search with additional words, it only makes the list longer. Use of Boolean "and" "or" does not work.

The fact that you must have a three letter word means that you can't search for your blood type. (I tried "B"and "type B", and both searches ignored the .

Are there some tricks to using your Search? I have no such problems on any other website I have used; couldn't you change and improve your Search? Please help me to use your site. Thank you. Elainel

Hi, Elaine! Have you tried the search from the front page, www.dadamo.com? There is a menu entitled "Support" there under the main title. Click it and choose the "Search this site" link -- it permits multi-word searches. See what you think, and let me know! :-D

Is there a way that I can print out all the questions & answers of your column instead of clicking on every one. It would be much easier to read them offline and even bind them in a book! On the blood diet book, by Heidi Merritt.What do you think... valdemir

Ummmm..... We don't currently have a text-digest of the columns, so they're readable only in the present format. And about the book... NO COMMENT!!! yikes!! love, Heidi. !!;-D

Heidi, Thank you for your response to my last question.

However, your response generated another question for me. I had assumed that the beneficial part of kohlrabi was the leaves, since greens are so important for Os and my parents used to grow and eat them, but your response made it clear that the roots were being discussed. Is the entry in the food list only for kohlrabi roots or have the leaves been evaluated too? Remember a long time ago I asked you a similar question about turnip leaves ;-)

And just to let you know I do enjoy and have fun discovering new foods, particularly if they are beneficial! Thank you for everything you do. You are truly wonderful. Don (DSJ)

:-D AW GOSH what a SWEETIE!

Yep, them thar Kohlrabis (Scots miners? Patriarchs with eye makeup? Bunnies with a chill?) are beneficial from root dip to leaf tip. Whole plant. Both the pale green and the deep purple varieties, too.

AH, for a GARDEN! ... ;-} always lovely to hear from you, Don! :-)

Dear Heidi, Thanks for your great collection of New Year resolutions.I have edited them onto a Word document, maybe to make a small wall poster.

I noticed that the current edition of The Australian Women's Weekly (which is actually monthly) has a couple of pages on the Blood Type Diet. On balance,it would be enough to get some people to have a go, though it was critical of the scientific basis of BTD and mocking of the problems involved in a multi-blood type family.However,its a beginning! Cheerio, Jenny (Oz)

Hey, that's good news about the magazine article, Jenny! I'd naturally prefer it be entirely glowingly positive ;-> but at least it is introducing the concept to people. You'd be surprised how many are actively attracted to a more complex plan, simply because they feel it would better serve complex needs. Did you send the magazine a link to the site, specifically the Science section? that would be a GREAT idea! It's really amusing that so many people who deride the science have no background in it whatsoever, and almost none of them ever think to follow up on the articles and research in the book AND on the site. sheesh! :-D

I am so pleased you like my resolutions! Not having written them, I nonetheless feel I CHOSE well. and so did you! A merry year to you, Jenny!! :-D

HELP I AM A NEWBIE "A-" poss-sectretor!!

I just have one silly question and I can't find an answer when I search...I am inquiring about the restriction of black tea/reg&decaf and "a" secretors...I love tea (coffee makes me a bit jumpy and too aggressive...I am an "a"...peace and harmony!)...can I have tea with soy milk? Or am I purely restricted to green teas and herbals?

Don't get me wrong...I love them...but I do have a lot of regular tea in my house, too...can you set me straight? Regards, Lauren

Black tea has an unwelcome effect upon the type A digestive abilities. That's why it's an avoid for type A *secretors.* However, it sounds like you may have a perfect impetus to get your secretor status, since this item becomes Neutral for A nonsecretors. Hint! :-)

Green tea is truly beneficial, and while you're awaiting the results of your secretor test HINT! HINT! ~;-D ... have a stroll through TYPEbase to read about black tea (just enter the search term *tea* and it will come up in the list) and any other items you might be wondering about.

A VERY warm welcome to you, Lauren, and please write again! :-D

Hi Heidi, Happy New Year to you and I hope you had a wonderful Christmas!

Mine was a little off this year as my recurring depression decided to hit me - silly me for trying to get off the medication AGAIN! Anyway, that is not the reason for my post.

I am considering a liver/gallbladder flush and have spent a lot of time today reading Julia's website and searching On the Diet for gallbladder flush posts. Many of the posts refer to your way of doing the flush, but I was not able to locate a post where you described in detail how you do the flush.

At Julia's website I noticed the pricing of the herbs and bitters and it seems like it would cost quite a bit, but in one of the posts I found you mentioned that one needn't use the herbs and such. I would very much appreciate you giving me detailed instructions for the flush as I think that maybe it would help my insomnia and depression.

I find it strange that no Dr. has ever mentioned that depression can result from clogged liver/gallbladder, but then they usually only prescribe medication after medication in my experience.

On thing that does concern me. I noticed that it takes 1-4 days to complete the flush. Does one need to stay home during this time? I really don't want to have to take time off work, in your experience, is this necessary? Thanks as always for your help. love sue (o-neg)

A MOST happy New Year to you, Sue! And by the way, I think you are NOT silly, but rather very courageous and *determined,* in trying to get off those drugs. I truly admire and concur in your attitude, and I am certain you will succeed!!!

OK: the flush. I never used the preparatory herbs Julia suggests for softening the stones and clearing the liver. At the time of my first flush, I considered myself in fine physical health, and ready & willing to take the leap directly. This approach is not for everyone, and each of us must decide how to approach the flush. However, my experience bore out how simple, harmless and useful this procedure is, and I was glad to find that the flush itself is remarkably effective on its own.

You need not take off work to do it -- you could juice-fast on the Thursday & Friday (even with light snacks if needed - veg & fruit only, no fats), do the flush Friday night, and then you've two days at home for the 'clear out' and to ease back into your usual menu.

PolyFlora is a must in the follow-up -- take it twice daily on the day after the flush and for two weeks afterward, to help things return to normal. ;-)

I time the schedule below backwards from the time I'll go to bed. If you normally sleep at a different time, just adjust accordingly.

So, here's what I do:

That's it! Malic acid is available in supplement form for type O nonsecretors who wish to have the benefits of the apple juice without the pesky lectin. Since I now do this, at most, twice yearly, I have so far gone ahead with the organic fresh-juiced apples. I don't recommend it, but it's what I've done. Since I seem to be passing no stones at all anymore (just a bit of sand), I'm thinking of ditching the apple juice for the next one. stay tuned! ;-)

Since you're just beginning, it may take several flushes, say one every two months over half a year, to do the job for you -- but you'll feel the difference yourself, and be able to plan from there! It's certainly a great self-help tool, and may be what you've been looking for.